New York Knicks' Mitchell Robinson On Historic Rebounding Pace
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has made offensive rebounding a focal point of his game, and it has paid off early in the season: through eight games, Robinson is averaging an NBA-best 6.3 offensive rebounds per game, almost a full board more than runner-up Bismack Biyombo of Memphis.
While Robinson's offensive role has been called into question, his impact has grown heavily with his creation of second-chance opportunities. New York (4-4) has averaged over 17 second-chance points a game, good for fourth in the early going.
Mitchell Robinson leads the NBA in offensive rebounds this season with 50.
Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS
If Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick at six seasons, keeps this pace up, he'll enter historic NBA territory, as only three other players have averaged at least six rebounds in a single season. Moses Malone did so three times and he's joined only by Dennis Rodman (1991-92) and Jayson Williams (1997-98).
Robinson is far from alone in the rebounding revolution, as fellow big men Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein are both averaging 2.4 offensive rebounds. That trio alone is thus pulling in 10.9 second chances, which would be tied for 13th in the league on its own.
In addition to their solid work on the offensive glass, the Knicks are preventing opponents from gaining similar opportunities: New York is allowing the fewest second-chance points per game at nine as well as only 8.1 offensive boards, another Association-lowe.
Despite the interior success, the Knicks have struggled in the follow-up to their most successful season in a decade thanks to shooting problems. Entering this week, New York was dead-last in field goal percentage and was the only team in the NBA shooting less than 40 percent but they got back on track with consecutive interconference victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks are back in action on Sunday when they wrap up a three-game homestand against the Charlotte Hornets (12 p.m. ET, MSG).
